phase III
 

This is a copy of Dr. Tien's site info (actually his name is Dr. Tran Tien Chanh I guess):
Phase III = 2nd Intermediate Phase

Carbohydrates are reintroduced to your diet during this phase.
a) Morning:

- Coffee or tea.
- 2 oz. whole-wheat or whole-grain bread, lightly buttered (or use light butter).
- OR 1.5 oz. unsweetened cereal, like unsweetened rolled oats or muesli.
- One dairy product: partly skimmed milk, plain yogurt or cottage cheese.
- A fruit or freshly squeezed fruit juice (fruit is optional at this point).
b) Noon:

- Raw vegetables. All vegetables, including artichokes, carrots, etc., are now allowed.

- 5 oz. lean meat or poultry.
- OR 5 oz. fish (all fish are allowed).
- 1 tablespoon oil for flavor or cooking.
- 7 oz. green vegetables.
- Optional: yogurt.
c) Late-afternoon snack:

- A fruit, if you did not have a fruit for breakfast, or 1 protein packet.
d) Evening:

Dinner is exactly the same as lunch:
- 5 oz. meat, poultry or fish.
- 7 oz. green vegetables.
- 1 tablespoon oil for flavor or cooking.
- 1 serving of yogurt or cottage cheese.

Comments: The intermediate phase should last no longer than two weeks, because you’re on an unbalanced diet that lacks slow carbs!

Note: Very often, many dieters start off their diet with the third phase because they think it’s a balanced, low-calorie diet, but they’re wrong!
:?: not sure what the "Comments" and "Note" means

more info
 

From his book..The Unbalanced Diet Approach To a Slimmer You
He says this about Phase III: "Grains are gradually added to breakfast. Lunch and dinner still consist of lean meat or fish, and green vegetables, plus a dairy product once every two days."
Yes that seems pretty vague. Hope your coach has more info. :coach:

admitting
 

:rolleyes:As long as we're all admitting our cheats....I confess I have put IP on hold until after the holidays:snow4:
that's why my User Title says "on hold till 2010." It may be sooner. I have been doing a TON of baking and got tired of beating myself up for 'cheating' :frypan: so thought I would be nice to myself and take some time off. :beach:

SandraB - I am with you. I am scared to go off IP because I am scared the weight is gonna come back on.....yet we know we cannot eat like this indefinitely. I have started introducing a few things back....I really miss orange juice, but haven't taken that back yet. I guess my plan is to go thru the transitional phases at this point (when I return). We have been on IP for nearly the same amount of time...yeah, the packets are getting to me...yet when I am hungry, I don't KNOW what else to eat.

Let's see if we can get thru the holidays without much of a gain (forget losses)....and maybe we can make a "informed decision" together. I am leaning either towards low-carb, or I love Hungry Girls ideas. Like you....just thinking....I need some comfort food. My sisterinlaw called today and told me they are making crablegs for me on Thursday when I get to Cleveland.... Now -- how can I say NO to that? Yup...with butter. I don't want to go overboard, but I am also putting things on the backburner for awhile. Maybe Toomanycats has the right idea....

Congratulations 20by Dec!!! Let us know how it goes. By the way did you stay in Phase 2 for 2 weeks and if so did you lose any weight during this time?

Torchlaker: Enjoy yourself today, relax and bask in the glory of all you have achieved so far this year!!!

I am usually the person in my family that goes nuts at Xmas time, I used to wake everyone up Xmas morning, including my daughter, and really got into the season and for some reason this year, not so much!!! Hopefully my "bah humbug" attitude will go away over the next few days. I am really looking forward to some time off over the holidays and not having to drive for 2 hours and more, on snowy days, just to get to work and back!!! Hopefully as I transition through the next Phases I will regain some energy with the addition of other types of foods.

Well, my extended weekend of cheating blew my weight loss. I had a 2 week weigh in and only lost 3 lbs. Don't get me wrong, 3 lbs is better then nothing, but still....

20byDec, I'm with Ottowa on her question, did you have any weight loss with Phase 2?

Sandrab, hang in there girly-girl. You are so close to what your goal is!! Consider giving yourself the break over the holidays and jump right back on the wagon come 2010. Again, you are so close.

Torchlaker, did you eat the pie? I broke down last night and bought myself some avacados to add to my salad. I miss them so. I put 1/2 of one in for my lunch today. How bad can they REALLY be? And, sending you hugs girl :hug:. I'm not sticking up for your husband's family, but maybe seeing you hurts because it reminds them of him and how happy you two were together. And girl, if they don't want your dog....we'll screw them then. I have 5 and if you get me you get my dogs, and if you aren't happy with that well then I don't want to be with you and neither do my dogs....your loss (and their loss)!!

Everyone, we have to stop beating ourselves up for cheating. Again, it is the holidays. Eating comes with the territory this time of year. I admitted my can of chef-boy-r-d over the weekend, and yes even though I am disappointed in myself, 2 things, it did satisfy my craving for the tomato sauce and carbs, and I didn't have a HUGE bowl of spagetti...just a can of ravioli. I'm so proud of everyone who even when cheating didn't cheat like they could have. Y'all don't realize it but you ARE making healthier decisions, even at Xmas parties. You may have had alcohol, but most of you, if not all, gave up the desserts!! Or you had a couple bites of something instead of a whole piece. THAT IS AMAZING!! And you jumped right back into the diet, which is healthy. Y'all should be VERY PROUD OF YOURSELVES!! So, sit back and enjoy the holidays, even the food, just in moderation. The Phase 1 part of the diet will be here for us "tomorrow".

Lastly, I want to stress how much I appreciate y'alls suppport on here. My birthday is coming up on the 22nd. I am going to celebrate it, I think, by going to my favorite mexican restaurant and eating in moderation...sticking as close to the diet as I can but still splurging cause darn it, its my birthday. I will be thinking of all of you and that will help me not totally blow it!!

thanks you guys! the support is awesome on here. Ogdog - i think you may have just put a few things in perspective for me. Your right about the cheats, compared to what normally might be consumed this time of year, i am not even close! and i do think of every single little thing i eat, and i can tell you, i did NOT before!! - i have considered going off the plan till the new year, but have again changed my mind on that. i have a very understanding coach here, had a good talk yesterday and she helped me with my "thoughts"
Torchlaker - i was given a copy of the "alternative" phase and am toying with the idea of integrating that in to my diet in the next few weeks. because i know EXACTLY what you mean when your hungry and dont know what to eat.used to be i felt good about eating an apple etc for a snack, instead of junk or carbs, now i am guilt consumed to even think about it! but the alternative phase does allow toast, limited fruit, milk....that may be what i am ready for. so i took the info, and am seriously considering it. Ottawa, you must feel how i feel sometimes, about the low energy. I am having a hard time with that because my hubby is in extensive physio, and the plan was for me to go to the gym with him while he was doing physio. I simply have not had the energy, and as we all know, are not recommended much exercise on a 800 cal per day diet. so yeah, lots going on with the plan right now. But for now i have opted to perservere, but am taking a few days off closer to the holidays. Again, this forum can be so important for telling you the things you need to hear, and right when you need to hear them. Thanks for that!

SandraB - I got what I needed here this morning, too. The insights are incredible! I AM making better decisions than ever. I am not gonna beat myself up. Yeah....I ate the pie. It was okay. It was a bad night last night and I barely slept. I would be interested in that "alternative" diet for the holidays. Would it be the same as Phase IV? Do you know how to send a "private message?"

Maybe we never talked about it before....but I think the low energy is something maybe we should discuss. I just assumed my low energy was because "things weren't moving" and perhaps the toxins were getting in my body. I have complained about the low energy for the entire diet. Everyone says, "You must feel wonderful with that weight gone." Actually, I am usually exhausted. I remember others on here saying that their energy level was high...so I figured it was just me. Yeah, I knew we were on a low-calorie diet, but I just figured all the extra protein was supposed to help with the energy.

Ottawa - I am in a "bah humbug" mood too...sure hoping it goes away when I get to Cleveland. I don't think it has anything to do with the diet...I think it is just me and the "whole situation."

Ogdog - good insight as to why perhaps I don't hear much from my hubby's family. I just figured, "out of sight - out of mind."...and since I live so far away from them.....And yes, I feel the same way about my dog. My dog has kept me sane this past few years. There were days I didn't want to get out of bed, but I did it for my dog!! Love me...love my dog. Luckily, everyone else loves my dog....and you are right...their loss.

A lot of things here helped me this morning....which is why I come to the computer as soon as I get up. Yeah, I cheated yesterday.....don't plan to today. Of course, I didn't get packed or anything yesterday, so I will have a busy day today (forget the relaxing part...oh well). Maybe that is the best thing anyways...keep my mind occupied. I made the right decision to not leave today....it has been snowing steady for a week...and it is STILL snowing...but I believe it is going to stop this evening. I gotta put on my hubbys fire helmut and safety glasses and go out and knock some of these icicles down; they actually go from rooftop to the ground.

SandraB and Torchlaker, I would also be interested in the "alternative diet" for the holidays. Is it to maintain or still lose a bit?

And no, Torchlaker, nobody has really discussed a lack of energy. I, like you, thought it was just me who was completely exhausted at the end of the day. I have to admit though that I'm bipolar and on medications (which make losing hard), and wondered if they had something to do with it...add to it I don't sleep very well very often without meds. I got home last night and went to bed at 7:30. 7:30!! I have no life. I have no urge to exercise because I have no energy. Could it perhaps be because we are only eating about 800 calories per day? The lack of carbs? I also wonder if it isn't the time of year with the light outside being less and less. I thank the Lord that the shortest day of the year is coming up next week and the light outside gets longer once again after that. I don't know how you do it Torchlaker with all that snow....I'd be depressed all the time! Your mental state could also be wreaking havoc on your bod and providing for less energy...stress, no matter what kind, takes its toll!!

You should take pics of these icicles an post them so those of us without snow and ice can appreciate it even more....or wish for it...whatever one's vice.

Hello all! Nice to hear from everyone!

Officially in phase 4 now... Lost a pound in phase 3 even if I cheated sunday at my husband's birthday dinner... (tiramitsu cake :rolleyes:) OK, compensated this with a full day of phase 1 on monday - guess it helped!

To those who were wondering, finally found energy back up in phase 3 with the full healthy breakfast back in my schedule! :D
20bydec, here is some ideas of my breakfasts for the last few days:
Carbs: 2 slices of multigrain bread or 1 whole wheat english muffin
Fruit: 1/2 grapefruit, 1 banana or 1 pear
Lipids: 3/4 cup of 1% cottage cheese, 0% yogurt or a glass of milk
Proteins: 1 hard boiled egg with 1 or 2 thin slices of ham, 1/4 cup ready to cook egg white omelett (found at the grocery near the eggs) or a protein packet (pudding or cereal for now)

Registered at the gym yesterday... plan to start some cardio workout at lunchtime today! :carrot:

Freezing over here! Guess I would need those boots torcklaker was talking about!!

As for Christmas dinners, told my husband that instead of having all the goodies at once, there would be a turkey dinner, a meat pie dinner and a stew dinner! This way I can have a regular portion instead of a small portion of each and being tempted to take a second plate!

That is all for now... Will continue to read your posts for sure and "maybe" will post the swimsuit picture when I will officially have lost that last pound!! Have safe and happy Holidays! :hug: :present:

SylvieG, how long were you in Phases 2 and 3? Congrats!!

I was in phase 2 and 3 for a week each... However yesterday my IP coach told me I should have been there 2 weeks each! I found it harder to stay in focus on the plan on those two weeks - cheated every now and then... glad I wasn't there any longer!

As for phase 4, I was told to do it for 1 week prior to going back to a "regular/healthy" way of eating. Guess I'll stick as much to phase 4 as I can in order to maintain this weight. My coach told me to go back to protein/veggies/salad in order to recover from cheats and to do a full day of phase 1 after major cheats...

Hope it helps!

Interesting on Phase 2 and 3. Why do you think it was harder to focus on the plan? I just ask because during this time of year it seems we all are having problems focusing on the plan at times, no matter what phase we are in. 1 week on Phase 4. Then you are done? Can't be....don't you have to relearn how to eat normal again. Does that make sense? I am afraid that I'll just go back to my "normal" eating habits....a huge bowl full of spagetti and lots and lots of sauce (super YUM)! How long were you on Phase 1?

Quick note. Read all your great posts.
My Weigh In was today and I did not lose. It is the first week that I have had no wt. loss.

I am SURE it was because of the Peppermint Martini's I had 3 days ago at a Christmas Party.

I went right back on IP the day after the party (monday) but I understand it takes at least 3 days to go back into ketosis.

So today is my big ketosis day and the start of more wt. loss.

I will celebrate by drinking extra water.

Okay, gotta go to work so no "deep thoughts" today.

Heh... I've been making a list of restaurants that I miss going to, and I told my fiances he's going to have to take me out to every single one of them once I've reached my goal... but not more than one a week. I think that's pretty fair.

As far as energy goes, the caloric intake definitely has something to do with it, but I wonder... What multivitamins are y'all taking? Right now I'm on the ones with the plan, but I'm not too terribly impressed with them. I remember there was a stretch in college that I was taking these great whole food vitamins that just gave me crazy amounts of energy when I took two in the morning. It was called Nature's Plus Source of Life. I worked in the vitamin and supplement section of a natural foods store, and that was the one I always recommended to people. I plan on getting it again once I run out of the plan ones. But if you're just taking something like a Centrum one-a-day, those barely give you anything, you're just throwing your money away. Go for a whole food vitamin, you'll notice a difference within a week.

elishatamar, it is very fair, LOL.

What is a "whole food" vitamin?

I think it was harder in phase 2 and 3 because I was close to my goal - 1 bite or 2(...) would not harm(!!), and anyway, I will be allowed to eat "this" next week or so... When I was in phase 1 (for 17 weeks, without any restricted items from week 3 to week 15!!) I didn't allow myself to cheat because I wanted to get rapidly to my goal 1) to save some $! 2) to get back to regular food prior to the Holidays...

Relearning to eat was easier than I thought... you do it through the program! Phase 2 helps to reintroduce a type of lunch I could eat for the rest of my work life! (OK - very different from what I ate before!) and phase 3 a very good breakfast! Phase 4 only brings add-ons to those!! Not that different than any phase on the plan after all! Earlier today I gave some breakfast ideas... for lunch I am eating a tuna salad with small pieces of low fat swiss cheese, 2 cup of carrots, 0% fat yogurt and a bottle of water! For dinner, I will have extra lean beef burritos with peppers, salsa and lettuce in a tortilla with NO cheese! (sorry... but you will get there soon! ;) ) Is it relearning how to eat? maybe! (BTW, a reasonnable portion spaghetti would be a good dinner choice in phase 4... try choosing whole wheat pasta... and NO cheese or fat!)

When I started the program, I aimed to have lost 60 pounds prior to Christmas but my coach said I should aim for Valentine's day instead... Guess what? I did it!! And so will you!! :dust:

A whole food vitamin is a vitamin that actually comes from fruits and vegetables, it's not chemically synthesized. It means they're horse pills, and a daily serving is about 3 of these horse pills, but your body assimilates it much better than synthetic vitamins.

elishatamar, You swear by them for energy huh? I can use energy!! :cb: I just googled "whole food vitamins"...they come in organic varieties too. Way cool!! Thanks!

You should lose weight in phase 2 just as much as phase 1 because if you look at phase 2, it is exactly the same as phase 1 but with the IP protein for lunch replaced with a protein of your own (like dinner of phase 1). So you are actually having less carbs in phase 2. Everything is the same in phase 2 as phase 1 but you are replacing one IP protein with a low fat protein you make.

I asked my coach about this and she agreed. You can even still have the IP protein for lunch if you didn't prepare something and it is easier just to grab an IP protein. My coach said phase 2 is more for transitioning your mind to prepare your own food for after the program. Your body shouldn't notice the difference.

Phase 2 isn't exactly like Phase 1. First you can have some dairy. Second you are eating about 100-200 more calories for lunch. More calories means less weightloss. And for some of us that may mean no weight loss, everybody's bod is different.

Ogdog - snow doesn't depress me anymore...but it used to. About March, I really get sick of it (so that is when I am taking my vacation). I just don't like driving in it. I bundled up and went outside and knocked off all the icicles. I should have taken pictures before. I did take pictures a few days ago, but I don't think there were any icicles. If I have time before I leave, I will see if I can post those pictures.

I also take depression medicine and meds to sleep. In fact, my depression meds were just upped last week (it is also to help my fibromlaygia). I always say I have no life, but i am always busy. I WISH I could go to bed earlier....years of being on the midnight shift as a police/fire dispatcher wrecked havoc with my sleep cycle. Last night, I was still awake at 3am and that was with meds. My body just seems to wake up at midnight (I keep telling it I am retired....go to sleep). My brother is bipolar and so is my sisterinlaw....all I really know about it is you HAVE to take your meds.... Nor do I feel like exercising....but I KNOW that I gotta start....I gotta do something about this loose skin. (SylviaG -- do you have all this loose skin, too??) There are probably a lot of factors into no energy. I can't remember if I had energy on Atkins or not. I remember doing the "Rice Diet" a few years ago, and I didn't have much on that either.

SylviaG -- I am SO proud of you!!! You started just one month ahead of me...and we have been on here together a long time! Do you have any pix you can post? I was looking thru mine this morning while I downloaded pix off my camera. I found my "before" picture, but it doesn't seem much different than my NOW picture (see, I didn't say AFTER). It would be fun to put faces on all these wonderful people we "lean on" every day. If I would get off my butt and finish cleaning and packing, I could play around with it....I just spent the last hour trying to reorder checks. Thank goodness I am going to Cleveland tomorrow (that is where my bank is), so I can stop at a branch and figure out what the heck I am doing wrong.

My mood is up today....Looking forward to those crablegs tomorrow at my sisterinlaws. Because of the fibromalygia, I get pretty stiff driving, so I have to get out a lot and move around (and let the dog pee). My dog was having fun running in all the snow while I chopped off the icicles. It is very cold here...and tomorrow is supposed to be the coldest day yet! (Sure...WHEN I have to drive...but hey, it won't be snowing).



OK - OK -- I will get moving again...and then see if I can play with pictures....

Introduction
 

I was a little bored at work so I went back into the fisrt posts just to see what people wrote. Wow, torchlaker (Denise), you've been on here a long time! You go girl. :cp:

I thought it neat when people introduced themselves, so here it goes. Hi fellow carbaholics. My name is Tara. I'm going to be 41 (ugh) next week. I fluxuate in weight a lot based on what meds I'm on for my bipolar disorder. I work as a Program Coordintaor at Merck Pharma, and am located in PA not far from Philly. I found this site accidentally when looking up for info on the IP program and I am sure glad that I found it. Again, thank you all for your loving support!! This is the heaviest I've ever weighed.

Congrats to Saraj!!! :bb: Yes I have heard that IP may affect the birth control pill, but that is great news!!
Has anyone noted a difference if they suffer from depression being on IP? Better or worse? If so did you have to adjust your medication, if you take any?

Fellow Carbaholics: my name is Susan and I am 53. I work with Intellectual Property (patents, trademarks, copyrights, etc) in Ottawa, in the far west end of Ottawa and live approx 45 minutes drive east of the city because my boyfriend of 2 years works 30 minutes father east from where we live. We just bought this house with 6 acres and a large barn this summer. One of our hobbies is snowmobiling...if you cannot beat the winter why not join it!!!

Torchlaker: Safe driving tomorrow and HAVE FUN while you are away!!!!

I wondered why many of you seemed so nervous about phase 2. The handout my coach gave me has phase 2 as I described above. There is no dairy or extra calories indicated any where on the sheet but I do remember when reading the e-book (thank you for posting the link) that I thought the phases weren't as I remembered and good thing I have the sheet to spell it out for me. I will have to ask my coach why I do not have dairy or extra calories on my list.

Yay I got a sig now =D

still here!
 

I haven't posted anything in a while. But, I read this blog at least twice a day. I am so thankful for all of you. When I started IP I enrolled with IP To Go. There is no IP clinic or store in this part of Iowa. I was having a diificult time with constipation ( still am) but I found a IP store down in southern Ia and I gave them a call. They are so helpful, I like them a lot. They told me to take 3 vit.c a day and 2 tablespoons of citrus magnesia in the am and pm. for the constipation. It hasn't worked for me yet but it may help some of you out there. I am still doing the generic Correctol a couple of times a week. I am one of those slow losers.I have been on this diet for 7 weeks and lost 15 lbs. I was hoping for a little more but it is better than anything else I have tried. I am hoping to lose 9 lbs before the middle of Jan. My husband is going to Puerto Rico for work for 12 days. I went with him 3 years ago and had a wonderful time. I sat by the pool and read and took walks on the beach while he was at work during the day. Then at night his boss took us out to eat every night. There lies my dilema. I have been pretty faithful to this diet and I don't want to gain it back. I am so afraid of gaining after struggling to lose 2 lbs a week. I can't afford to be on this diet forever. I am retired.
This weekend my daughter and my daughte-in-law are coming over and we a baking kringle". It is kind of a like a sugar cookie but not as sweet and in the shape of a pretzle. I love that stuff. Sorry for rambling on. I just want to let you all know, I appreciate you so much.

Saying Hi
 

After reading posts for two weeks I thought I would introduce myself. I started IP on 12-2 and had so today is officially two weeks. I have lost 18lbs alredy and can truely feel a difference. I have many more lbs. to go but am excited to have begun my journey and look forward to great success with IP. I am 36 years old and and dream of being able to run. Never knew that was something I wanted to be able to do, but it just keeps nagging at me.

Its amazing how quickly you feel a difference in yourself on this diet! After the first couple weeks I felt like actually doing some exercise when id NEVER been in the mood to do it before.

JoshB: congratulations on your loss!!! want2run and chubby twin: see above!!!
SylvieG: You have done so well, congratulations!!! Must feel good to be at your goal!!!!

PhaseII: I checked yesterday and I was told that the only difference from Phase I was that I was to have my own protein for lunch, no mention of dairy yet either, but with the addition of extra calories due to my own protein having more calories than an IP packet, that my weight loss should continue but be slower. Wish we could all get the same info!!!

I have decided to stick with Phase I for the next week, enjoy my Xmas dinner and if I do not cheat too badly move to Phase II. Might stay at Phase I till Dec 28, to comensate for cheating and then move to Phase II. I might just stay at Phase II for one week and then move to Phase III as I am so close to my goal!!

JoshB, your back. Where have you been? How are you? Congrats on your loss so far! Its good to hear from you again.

Torchlaker (Diane): Keep your head up and a smile on your face during your trip. Give your dog a pat for me. Please drive safe. And, mostly, have fun. Remember that if you cheat, which is allowed, you will, like the rest of us, not cheat as bad as you used to...positive...and you can go right back on the diet when you get back!! Its okay to relax and enjoy the holiday and the food!!!

Are you happy with your meds? Maybe part of your depression problem right now is that the meds just aren't working right. Again, cold weather and the shorter days (daylight) definitely play a part with depression this time of year.

Phase 2: I went by that doctors website for Phase 2. Even if one doesn't add the dairy during Phase 2, you still up your caloric intake with the meat at lunch (3 oz of fish is 100ish calories, so 6 oz which is what we are allowed is 200ish calories).

Welcome to the group want2run! Are you looking to run a 5k, triathalon? You'll get there on this diet!!

Ottowa (Susan), do you have any pets with all that land you have? How cool to have a barn and such. LOL, I grew up on a farm and never, ever thought I'd be saying that. I wish I could have a farm right in the middle of a city. Some day perhaps.

For those of you with constipation problems, are you on any meds? Meds, along with the change in diet, MAY be causing your constipation. How much salad are you eating? I eat a head of romaine lettuce with lunch and another with dinner...and have not probs with consitpation. Maybe you aren't eating enough salad? I also notice that I really have not problems when I eat cooked spinach...yep, has to be cooked in order to go right through me.

Sometimes i think that there are 2 copies of this diet floating around. I was told that the plan has changed even since i started. i think what is being confused with phase 2 is the alternative plan. I have the sheet at home, and once i am home will post the info. My coach recommended this to me after hearing some of the issues i am having. I have not yet decided if i will transiition into it yet or not. I am feeling inclined that way though, because you do add some whole grains, fruit, and dairy in there. My mindset is that if i am stil eating very healthy, and have more energy, and can actually start excercising, while integrating normal foods back in, i should still lose weight. The alternative phase is the way alot of people do this diet in the first place, especially diabetics. THat is what i was told. It still keeps you on a strict regimen, you still use 3 packets a day. You just have a few more options, which for me ( just my opinion!)makes it seem a lot more viable to transition off this diet....I will post the info from home for those who are interested in reading it. have a nice day everyone.

I'm far away from thinking about phase 2, so I won't worry about that for a while. As far as the constipation problems...I eat my salad and lettuce with lunch and dinner, but maybe not enough. I used some senekot a few days ago when it was so bad and I've been taking the magnesium citrate every morning since then. Only 1-2 tsp. though, that's what my coach said. and she said to keep it in the fridge and you don't have to throw it out after 24 hrs.
Welcome to our newbies and Josh, good to see you back. Torchlaker, we will be thinking about you on your drive. Hop online when you can.
Chubbytwin....I wouldn't miss out on your trip! Just eat the very best you can while you are there. If this change in eating habits is really going to be life long for us, then we are going to face challenges every day. And even though, you may lose a little slowly...that weight will still come off! That is how I'm viewing the holidays. I stay on program as much as I can and when I can't, I just do the best I can. then when the holidays are over, I'll be much more consistant.

Ive been really busy with school but now we are on holiday break =D.
I actually, this week started doing a restricted food every other day to maybe speed up some weight loss, if it speeds it up a bit, I may do boot camp for a little bit and have NO restricteds =D.
Though I do love the bars lol. Maybe one restricted a week.

My coach told me that Phase 2 is when you just replace the lunch with your own meal like at dinner. You then only have two packets a day which is Breakfast and Snack.
I THINK Phase 3 or 4 is when you add a slice of grain bread with lowfat butter, a cup of fruit, and stuff like that for breakfast, and then all the veggies that were restricted arent restricted anymore.

Welcome Newbies and thanks for posting. I didn't used to post at first either. It's called "lurking" over at the Weight Watcher forums ha-ha.

My name is Lili and I am a Carboholic. I am almost 57 years old and I have been a nurse for over 30 years.

I live in a small mountain town in Northern California with my boyfriend of 3 years. He is retired and I work part time. We just recently "moved in together." We rented a very nice 2 story condo. with wood floors, modern kitchen, a gas fireplace, balconies and great views from all the windows.

I have an ex-husband (or two) a grown daughter, son-in-law and a grandson. I am having my daughter's family (including her Dad) over for Christmas Eve dinner. We are having a Prime Rib dinner that I pre-ordered from my local supermarket. I did the same thing for Thanksgiving dinner and it was wonderful.

I am within walking distance of my job at the local hospital ER. I feel lucky to have a rewarding well-paid job.

I would say my life is currently pretty "balanced" overall except for my weight issues. I have taken my IP program very seriously.
This is my Holy Grail diet of all time and am so glad I found it (through my brother and sister-in-law who were the first ones in my family to start IP, they lost 90 pounds and 50 pounds on IP.) I plan to use IP methods for the rest of my life to lose and maintain my weight.

When I get to my goal wt. I will be so "astonished" that at long last I will have one of my greatest dreams come true: to be slim again! I was a "skinny kid" and slender teenager and young woman. I started gaining wt. in my 30's. About 10-15 pounds per decade (that's only about a pound of wt. gain per year, folks) and before I knew it I was over 200 pounds.

I love to wear nice clothes and "dress up." I have struggled so much with being overweight and trying to "look good" in my clothes. I fooled myself into thinking I could wear "fitted black clothes" to look slim until I saw a picture of myself from last winter sitting on a couch next to my slender boyfriend. I almost completely blocked him from the camera's view!
(Oh, Lord, I wish I could tear that picture up but it is in someone else's picture album at their house.)

My secret goal is to have another picture taken sitting on the couch with my boyfriend and send it to that person to "add" to their album.

Oops, gotta go. It's getting late and I'm going Christmas shopping today. It's a beautiful sunny day in Caliornia!

I asked my Coach about how IP makes your birth control less effective & in layman's terms she told me that to make your birth control "WORK" & prevent spotting most women who are overweight need a HIGHER dose BC pill. Our bodies store some estrogen in all of those fat cells & when we start to loss weight, it releases some of that estrogen, giving us more then we need & causing errors in our BC method. I am on an IUD, so I am not sure if mine will fail, but it could as I am having spotting. So, us ladies who are on BC should consult of physicans to see if we need to be on a lower dosing BC pill.

Someone else asked about depression meds. I can only speak from my history, but when I am HEALTHY weight wise, I seem to handle things better. I have been of my "happy" pills since September & along with weight loss comes a more self confident ME! But again, this is just my happoy story!

I lost 3.2 lbs this week. That is my HAPPY news for the week. This week has NOT been good. 4 stitches in my finger, dropping my paycheck with only MY first name in the mailbox, getting in back on to attempt to cash it & it isn't signed...then, I wrecked my car on icy roads. Very minor damage, it could have been worse. So if things come in 3's I should be good for a while.

I have a cheat planned for tomorrow, catered church dinner. I would skip it, bit I planned it...so that would be a no go! I can make good choices, beef or chicken, salad, veggies, potatoes & dessert. I will take one of my GYMEVIA (sp) herbal tablets that decrese my cravings for carbs & sweets before I go.

THen when I ordered my shot of espresso to put in my pre made chocolate drink that I dilute with water & warm up, I asked for Sugar Free, but they didn't tell me that flavor is not available in SF, so no I am buzzed w/caffiene & probably kicked me out of ketosis with that shot of flavoring...GRRRR.

Well, Meghan, I suppose if you can keep well on the diet with this much stress, it'll be a piece of cake (low carb cake, of course) from here.

I had never thought of the hormone thing before, but it makes sense... and it explains why I've been particularly heavy this past week. I'm also on an IUD, but it's non-hormonal, so I know it won't be affected by an increase in estrogen.

As far as depression meds go... the most common ones are SSRIs, like Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Lexapro... and those all have weight gain as a frequent side effect. My course on those in pharmacy school isn't until next year, but I personally think that most people eat more while they're on it, and become more complacent. I've been on Wellbutrin for about five years now, which has negligible effects on serotonin, but acts more on dopamine and norepinephrine centers, and it tends to cause weight loss in people, because it suppresses appetite some and gives you more energy. For me, it definitely gave me more energy... but that also included the energy to eat, so it didn't help much in the weight loss department. It can also raise blood pressure, so if you're on antihypertensives, it's probably not for you.

The key is really to try and avoid being stressed out if you can. Stress will negatively affect you more than just about anything else. It activates biochemical pathways that make us nervous and anxious, raise blood pressure, make us put on weight (not just because we reach for comfort foods, it does trigger the body to store energy), and just feel unstable and bad in general. I'm not saying that relaxing is the end-all, there are people like me who do have faulty levels of neurotransmitters in our brains that require medication, but eliminating stress helps to minimize their control over us. And I don't know about y'all, but I certainly stress out more when I can't pull up my pants, or look at a picture that shows a double chin, or am having drinks with some gal pals who are half my size. So next time you start feeling stressed, ask yourself, "is this worth it?" If there's nothing you can do to change it...just take a deep breath and roll with it. Your health depends on it!